Emma Lizotte drives to the basket during a game at Thornton Academy on Jan. 25. Lizotte, who was a Varsity Maine All-State selection each of the past two seasons, has transferred from Cheverus High to Thornton. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer
Emma Lizotte, one of the top girls’ basketball players in Maine, has transferred from Cheverus High to Thornton Academy for her senior year.
Lizotte, who has committed to play next year for NCAA Division I Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, enrolled at Thornton Academy on Monday. Lizotte and her family live in Saco, and she has sisters in seventh grade at Saco Middle School and 11th grade at Thornton.
“It was a little tough, knowing I’d have to leave my friends and community at Cheverus,” said Lizotte, who used to live in Sanford and went to middle school there before attending Cheverus. “But ultimately I just made the decision to be closer to home and help out with family stuff more. I switched schools before, so I knew I could do it.”
While at Cheverus, Lizotte became one of the state’s best inside players. The 6-foot-3 center averaged 17 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game last season while helping to lead the Stags to the Class AA North final, and in her sophomore year averaged 14.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as Cheverus won the Class AA state championship. She was a Varsity Maine All-State selection both years.
Lizotte’s move is a blow for a Cheverus team that was set to bring back every starter, including Gatorade Maine Player of the Year Maddie Fitzpatrick. Instead, she’ll provide a boost to a Golden Trojans team that lost three starters but returns guards Addisen Sulikowski, a Varsity Maine All-State pick, and Kylie Lamson.
“I’m still going to play my game,” Lizotte said. “I know what to do, I do my own thing well. I’ll put myself into whatever offense the coach (Suzanne Rondeau) has and I’ll be able to grow into that.”
Lizotte said changing schools her senior year is “rough,” but that it can prepare her for having to make such a change when she heads to Quinnipiac next year.
“I feel like it’s a good learning opportunity for me,” she said, “being able to go into somewhere new and establish myself, like I’ll have to do in college the following year. It’s a great opportunity for me to grow as a player and become more of a leader.”
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